Category Archives: Thoughtful Thursdays

Reflections

Thoughtful Thursdays # 57 Food and Memories

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Food and all its smell, texture, taste and visual appeal can remind us of good times. As a kid I loved when my neighbor Leone made Spanish rice and beans with a salad. My mother would reciprocate by making an Italian dish.

Often we shared these dishes and good times. Being at Leone’s made me happy. As I got older I learned how to cook the same Spanish rice and beans and I am reminded of a happy time with good conversation and delicious tastes.

To this day I can make my mother’s chicken noodle soup and soup with  escarole and  white beans.

She inspired my love of soups. Over the years I have made many types of soup and I have gotten really good at making them.

What are some of your happiest memories around food?

Did you hear family stories around the table?

Do you remember any of the stories?

What is your favorite food? Why?

Do you crave those foods often?

Can you cook those same foods you had as a child?

Explore the magic of conversation and good food because the memories last a lifetime.

Thoughtful Thursday #56 How to be a Wizard by Peter Russell-Spirit of Now

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How to be a Wizard

A wizard allows synchronicity to manifest.

We cannot make synchronicities happen. It is in their very nature to occur “by coincidence”. We cannot control or manipulate the world in order to create synchronicities—their source is not of this world. Yet we can encourage their appearance; we can open ourselves to them.

A wizard opens to synchronicity by following three basic principles.

The first principle is that of wholeness. The more rested I am, the more relaxed my mind and body, the more in touch I am with my self, the more free I feel, the easier my soul, the more whole I am. And the more whole I am, the more synchronicity seems to occur. Conversely, when I am out of balance, tired, stressed, frazzled, wrapped up in concern or in some other way off center, synchronicity does not manifest nearly so abundantly.

A wizard allows inner wholeness to be a priority. A wizard keeps rested, relaxed, centered and clear.

A second characteristic of synchronicities is that they tend to support our needs. They seem to bring us just what we need, at just the right time. It is as if the Universe has my best interests at heart, and arranges for their fulfillment in ways which I could never have dreamt of. It is, to quote a renowned Indian teacher, “the support of nature”. We support nature by centering ourselves, and nature supports us back, providing the opportunities to fulfill our needs. This is what makes them so magical and remarkable—such a coincidence.

However, if we do not know what we truly want or most need, or if two desires are in conflict, the synchronicities that manifest may not be in our own best interests. We may want something one day, have it the next, and not want it the day after. So before “cosmic choreography” can support us, we need to be clear on what it is we really want. The more we are in touch with our highest intention, the more we find that nature supports.

Intention is not desire. Our desires are our beliefs as to how we might get what we want. We desire money because we think it might buy us greater peace of mind. We desire a mate because we think we will then be happy. Sometimes these ways work (for a while); sometimes they don’t. Sometimes something completely different may give us what we need. Cosmic choreography knows how to fulfill our intentions far better than we do. Our task is not to force the world to be a certain way, but to be aware of our underlying intention, and so provide a direction in which synchronicity can flow.

Wizards are clear on their intention. They know what it is they really need; what underlies all their many wants and desires. Wizards hold this intention in their mind. And then let go. No attachment to how or when; just a simple openness to whatever may be—and a silent delight in the synchronicities that come to be

And there is one more principle I have discovered. I can sit alone in my cottage in the middle of a forest, at peace in myself, centered and whole, and clear on my inner intention, yet here few coincidences occur. Significant coincidences nearly always seem to involve other people in some way. It is as if our interplay with others gives cosmic choreography greater opportunities to reach through to us.

This is the third principle of wizardry—a principle I call “zipping and zooming”. Playing our part in the world, and allowing cosmic choreography to play its part.

Although we may not be able to make synchronicities happen, we can create environments that foster their occurrence. We can create an inner environment of wholeness and high intention; and in our outer lives we can engage ourselves fully in the world, mix with the social field, go out and play. Play whatever game and role best fits our intentions. Play it with our soul, fully. Play it in whatever way brings us inner wholeness, enjoyment and fulfillment—there is, after all, no point in suffering while we play.

These are the three principles of wizardry: Wholeness, Intention, and Zipping and Zooming.

And if you need a mnemonic to remember them by, simply take their initial letters, W I Z—a wizard wizzes.

Thoughful Thursday #55

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Finding your path means not to look where you think you should be based on outside standards.

Finding your path means looking for who you are and basing your life on your standards.

Even if it looks strange and un-do-able follow that path and you will arrive at your perfect place where there is joy and fulfillment.

g.piazza

Thoughtful Thursdays #54 Questions

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I like questions.

Questions are an important part of relationships both with yourself and with others.

Here are some of my favorite questions.

What is in your heart?

What do you feel?

What makes you happy?

What makes you sad?

Would you want a super power? If so, what would it be?

What makes you really angry?

Are you willing to be talk about your feelings?

Are you willing to change one thing that you are unhappy with?

Do you love deeply?

Do you express that feeling of deep love  in some way?

Do you believe that things work out for the best?

Or do you believe you must push for what you want?

If you had no limitations, what are some of the things you would try?

What are you afraid of?

If you knew a statement was incorrect would you add some input or keep your mouth shut?

Is there something you need to let go of?

What do you resist?

What age do you feel?

What is your favorite academic subject?

How judgmental are you?

Do you accept others as they are?

Which values are important to you? E.g. kindness, truthfulness, etc.

I could go on but this is enough to get you thinking and perhaps asking others.

Have fun learning because that’s what life is about. Learning how the minds, bodies and spirits work.

The more you know about yourself the more you know about others, which makes for a happier and more content life.

Ask tons of questions because they are the starting point of change in a positive direction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughful Thursdays #53 Unconditional Love

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I regularly read “positivethoughtsforyou.com and today Mr. Stephen Levine wrote about unconditional love. Here’s an excerpt:

“When we say love we usually mean some emotion, some deep feeling for an object or person, that momentarily allows us to open to another.  But in such emotional love, self-protection is never very far away.  Still there is “business” to the relationship:  clouds of jealousy, possessiveness, guilt, intentional and unintentional manipulation, separateness, and the shadow of all previous “loves” darkens the light of oneness.

But what I mean by love is not an emotion, it is a state of being.  True love has no object.  Many speak of their unconditional love for another.  Unconditional love is the experience of being; there is no “I” and “other,” and anyone or anything it touches is experienced in love.  You cannot unconditionally love someone.  You can only be unconditional love.  It is not a dualistic emotion.  It is a sense of oneness with all that is.  The experience of love arises when we surrender our separateness into the universal.  It is a feeling of unity.  You don’t love another, you are another.  There is no fear because there is no separation”.

My understanding of this is if we feel love on an emotional level there are conditions, desires, expectations. With conditions, desires and expectations there is the risk of squeezing the life out of relationships.

When we have unconditional love it is not a feeling but a state of mind of openness and accepting everything as it is.  No conditions no desires no expectations  create unlimited possibilities in relationships.

That works for me.

How about you?

Thoughful Thursdays #52 Resistance

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Steven Pressfield is one of my favorite writing idols. He writes about resistance all the time and is incredibly insightful. Resistance is something I struggle with all the time.

I  will paraphrase his discussion with Rabbi Finley and resistance. Rabbi Finley said: “There is a second self inside you-an inner shadow Self.  This self doesn’t care about you. It doesn’t love you. It has its own agenda, and it will kill you. It will kill you like cancer. It will kill you to achieve its agenda, which is to prevent you from actualizing your Self, from becoming who you really are. This shadow self is called, in the Kabbalistic lexicon, the yetzer hara.  The yetzer hara, is what you call Resistance.”

Well said Rabbi. 100 % true.

This leads me to the Buddha. As he sat under the Bodhi tree and was confronted by Mara and his army.  Mara represents denial, fear and distraction. His demons are violent and wicked.  The Buddha used his noodle to figure out that Mara and his demons are nothing but a distraction to us. Mara goes out of his way to distract us from our true path, just like he did to the Buddha. Mara’s the king of thoughts and situations that create fear and resistance. The Buddha found a way to transcend his own denial of what is important and what is not. Being in denial of all there is in your life is the ultimate in resistance. The Buddha recognized this in his enlightenment.

What are your Mara’s? Is it addictions, distraction, negative patterns, denial? Is it violence in thoughts, words and deeds?

What is your yetzer hara? Is it illness, sadness, inability to focus?

The list of negatives is endless. So what is the answer? How do we recognize resistance especially if you don’t have a ton of time to meditate or devote your life to a religion?

Keep looking for those pesky negative  incognito signs in your thoughts, words and actions that are holding you back. Chances are whatever you are afraid of or avoiding is resistance.

Wake up into your own awareness. Make Self Care important, a priority.

Yes you are that important.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughful Thursdays #51Eckhart Tolle

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“When you become comfortable with uncertainty, infinite possibilities open up in your life.” 

~Eckhart Tolle

Thoughtful Thursdays #50

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A moment of insight

Influences 1000 lifetimes.

Georgia Piazza

It occurred to me that through any type of self development we change in a deep, profound and cellular level. Even if your outside doesn’t reflect the change. In your being you know you have changed. And that is priceless.

Na mo Amitoufo

Thoughful Thursday #49 Is it Love or Oxytocin?

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Is it Love or Oxytocin?

 

Turns out there is love hormone called Oxytocin that can cause much confusion in deciding if you love someone.

 

 For example, Oxytocin is released by simple body contact with a handshake or hug.

  1. You can think of someone in that warm and fuzzy way, Oxytocin is released.
  2. Oxytocin is released when a woman gives birth and Oxytocin helps in bonding with the child.
  3. Oxytocin is also released at orgasm in females. Males have it too.
  4. Oxytocin can be prescribed by a doctor and bought on the internet

 

 Which seems to me to be a problem. The Oxytocin is released creating a bond with someone you are sleeping with who may not be worth bonding to.

 

 Since this hormone elicits trust and a desire to maintain a relationship how do you know the relationship is worth it?

 

 Do you get along well outside of an Oxytocin phase?

  1. If there is any violence in the relationship, it’s Oxytocin that you are addicted to not the person.
  2. The other person is unreliable but you still stick around, it’s Oxytocin.
  3. If you keep accepting unacceptable behavior, it’s the Oxytocin.
  4. If the relationship did not work out and you still miss that person, you are missing the Oxytocin not the person.
  5. Maybe you gained a lot of weight, it may be not enough Oxytocin (that explains a lot)
  6. Doing good works like helping the less fortunate releases Oxytocin (do good works and lose weight. Sounds like a win/win to me)

 

 Here’s some good news, at anytime you can choose to share your Oxytocin with someone else. If it’s just the Oxytocin you want to share that’s fine.

 

 But if you want a relationship too then pay attention to the other everyday stuff like trusting, reliability, openness, generosity, peacefulness, joy, happiness, companionship, then Oxytocin…

 

 Get It?

 

 

Thoughtful Thursdays #48 Nobel Questions

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Asking yourself questions that raise your vibrations is not new. It is a form of affirmation. Ask yourself a few of these questions and your will become more confident. As a result the Universe will open doors for you.

  • I wonder what miracles the Universe is going to bring me today?
  • In what ways can I bring more joy into someone’s life?
  • What step can I take right now that will open me to even greater abundance?
  • How can I feel even better than I do right now?
  • What new friends am I going to meet today?
  • In what ways can I make today even better then yesterday?

from: Freeaffirmations.org